A creatively titled Death Note Fanfiction
by lufflesmattXD
Summary: This fanfiction is a short summary of some events at Wammy's House concerning Near, Mello, Matt and a girl called Ali. XD. Warning: Sad content.


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It was obvious something was happening. Ali could see and hear the commotion with her five-year-old senses clearly enough. But then again, this happened every day, and what she didn't understand was why she had stopped to observe it at all.

A good percent of the news and gossip at Wammy's house was centred on these two. Ali didn't get why everyone was so entertained by something that happened all the time.

It was Mello and Near. Of course.

Complete polar opposites – emotionless, steady and calm was Near's very essence, while Mello was an irritable creature that loathed everything better than him. And that category seemed to include Near. Ali couldn't help but feel sympathy for the white-haired boy. He didn't seem at all special or more intelligent than the others, and yet Mello still singled him out as an opposition.

Ali sighed and left the scene – there was really nothing she could do here.

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Damn Near. Damn him to the deepest pits of Hell. He would have said these things aloud, but Matt was too engrossed in his video game to offer any kind of audience.

He compensated by biting into his chocolate bar savagely, feeling his blonde hair swish around his face with the movement. Mello felt bitter and stupid. And all because of that damned Near!

Stupid brat did better at him at everything – and then had the cheek to deny it!

'Mello, you can feel good about your achievements or you can be jealous of me…'

Near's words from earlier echoed in Mello's head.

'Either way, I'm no more intelligent than you…'

Dammit, he wanted to punch somebody. He needed to vent.

"Matt." He tapped the other boy on the shoulder. "Hey, Matt!"

"What is it, Mello?" Matt lifted his goggled eyes to meet Mello's.

Mello glared at him. Matt blinked, unfazed. Mello leaked poison into his stare. Crap, Matt was hard to annoy. Maybe that was why they were friends…

"… Nothing…" Mello sighed around the chocolate bar dangling from his teeth.

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When Near had first adopted his emotionless mask, he was afraid it would consume him and he would end up becoming it. That fear seemed downright idiotic now as he tried not to scream in frustration.

How long had he been working on this puzzle? At least ten minutes… Near closed his eyes and opened them again, but all he saw was the same thing.

The four corner pieces… Any idiot could've put them in: why couldn't he make this work??

"I see what you're trying to do."

Near started at a small voice behind him, and his eyes darted untrustingly towards the little girl who had spoken. Ali's dark brown hair hung loose to her waist, and her deep black eyes interrogated Near's calmly… 'That doesn't make _sense_…' Near thought.

"You're thinking about the puzzle as a whole." She continued, "But the whole point is thinking about the individual pieces. They're all unique. You have to appreciate each one."

Near stared at her sceptically. He felt dark. She noted his glare without surprise.

"Well then," she shrugged, and her voice was icy. "It's your decision."

She left, and it took Near a few seconds to figure out what had just happened.

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Ali kept remembering the torn look on Near's face as he glared at his puzzle, then in turn as he glared at her. She didn't know what had possessed her to speak to him – it was clear he hadn't wanted help.

It was odd, but she felt a sort of connection to Near, although he was so much older than her. They were both outcasts of sorts. Ali sighed.

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Near didn't need help.

Actually, it was more accurate to say that he didn't _want _help, but he didn't want to surrender to a girl four years younger than him. Of course he didn't need help… Of course not…

Near played a scenario in his head.

'Do you need help, Near?' says person x.

'No, I'm fine.' He replies.

It was _ridiculous _to assume that he needed help; anyone would be struggling w–

Near's eyes widened, then narrowed as he spotted Ali. She was doing a puzzle – the same one he had. Blank with a little 'L' in the top-left corner. Her hands were sure as she placed the pieces quickly and without hesitation.

Near realised he was still scowling at her after a few seconds as she paused and lifted her head. Near's eyes snapped back towards his own puzzle…. What had she said earlier?

'You need to appreciate each piece…'

Near's eyes narrowed again; but this time in concentration. He was going to do this right.

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Matt thought he should have an award. A stamp on his forehead that said; 'Tolerant and Amiable Person'. He could be anywhere in the universe right now; and he was here, at Wammy's house, listening to Mello talk bullshit. Apparently, Near had 'gotten smarter'. What the HELL??

Matt wanted to groan in frustration as he tuned in and out of Mello's rant.

"… And why does he have to act all modest?! The stupid little– "

"Mello!" Matt finally snapped. "Shut up for a second! Just because Near's getting higher test scores or whatever doesn't mean–"

"JUST because??!" Mello started up again. "Matt!!"…

Matt stopped listening again and made a mental note not to take Mello's bait.

Ever.

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Ali tried to decide who was more pleased with themselves, her or Near.

True; Near had mastered the puzzles that had been tormenting him for ages and was now in the running with Mello and Matt to become L – and some people were hinting that he was going to be chosen. But Ali had made a friend.

The two of them were inseperable now; and although at first everybody had turned to look at them every time they entered a room together - As if she could blame them. _Near _being _social_? ...The hell? - it had slowly become taken for granted that they were best friends.

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3 Years Later…

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Mello had finally calmed down.

He had been angry. Of course he had. He was always angry – especially since he was now considered second to Near. (And Matt was shunted down to third; although strangely _he_ never seemed to mind.) But today had turned out to be good, and he contemplated lightening up.

He was surprising everyone with his impromptu good mood; even smiling at Near and patting the head of a very confused Matt. He was no different when Roger approached him.

"Hi, Roger!" He grinned. "What's up?"

Roger's fingers closed around Mello's arm.

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Ali was bored, so naturally she went to look for Near. It was a little odd; he wasn't in his room of doing his puzzle as usual. After fifteen minutes she still couldn't find him. Suddenly she got a very bad feeling. She stopped Linda in the hall.

"Linda…" She said. Linda was surprised; usually Ali never spoke to anyone but Near much. "Where's Near…?"

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Near was almost finished his jigsaw, and was watching a group of kids run past with Mello. His eyebrows knitted together as he saw Roger grab Mello's arm.

"Mello," Roger said, and his voice was flat, "And Near, come to my office."

"Um, yeah…" Near gathered up the puzzle and the remaining pieces, then followed Roger and Mello to the old man's office.

Near set his jigsaw down on the floor, crouching down himself, and waited. Mello was the first to speak.

"What is it, Roger…?" He usually loud voice was quiet, and Near could swore he heard it tremble.

Roger closed his eyes.

"L is dead…"

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Near didn't say anything. He couldn't. There was an audible 'click' as he put the last piece in place.

And then it started.

"Dead?!" Mello sounded hoarse as he leaned forward anxiously. "W-why?!"

Roger wouldn't or couldn't answer. Mello shoved his face inches from the old man's.

"You mean he was killed by Kira?" His voice was rising in volume. "Is that it?"

"… Most likely." Roger whispered.

That wasn't enough for Mello, obviously; but even Near was startled when the older boy grabbed Roger by the front of his jacket and forced the old man to look at him.

"He promised he would see Kira dead!!" Mello shouted in Roger's face. "L was killed? Are you sure??"

"Mello…" Roger's protest was weak. Neither of them noticed Near, silently spiralling downwards into shock and despair. He couldn't stand it anymore.

CRASH!!

Both Roger and Mello turned, shocked, to look at him. Near help the jigsaw board over his head, letting the remaining pieces fall to the floor. He thought his voice would betray him, but he spoke calmly.

"If you can't win the game…" He murmured, lowering the board with his eyes closed. "If you can't solve the puzzle…" His dark eyes flicked up. "Then you're nothing but a loser."

Near kept calm as he started to do the puzzle again, disbelieving of what he'd just said…

In his shock and hurt, he'd called L a loser…

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Mello took in Near's words, then turned back to Roger. This was important.

"So which of us did L…?" Who? It couldn't be Near. It couldn't! Roger's reply took Mello by surprise, despite himself.

"Neither of you, yet…" Roger finally looked up. "He can't choose, now that he's dead…"

Mello's eyes widened. What? So this still wasn't over?? All this time he'd… But not Near? Why? Why hadn't L chosen? Roger brought Mello back down to Earth.

"Mello, Near… How about you two work together?" He suggested.

What?! No!! No WAY!! He couldn't think th–

"Yeah, sounds good." Near said, his voice deadpan. Mello's face twisted in horror. Then he calmed himself.

"That's impossible, Roger." He intoned. "You know Near and I don't get along. We're always competing…"

And he added internally; 'and I'm always second… No matter how hard I try…'

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Matt ran into Ali at the same time she ran into him.

"Ow." They said in unison, her rubbing her forehead and him holding his stomach. She looked up at him, but somehow he still felt he was being looked down on. Right now, though, he had his priorities.

"Where's Mello?" He asked, at the same time as she said;

"Where's Near?"

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Ali liked Matt for no real reason, but now she was a little annoyed.

"Where's Near?" She repeated, flustered. Matt sighed.

"I saw him in the hallway" He answered. "He seemed pretty upset."

Ali's heart sank. From Matt's clueless voice, it seemed he didn't know yet. But she wasn't hanging around.

"Hey!" Matt called after her. She turned, realising that she hadn't answered his question.

"Mello?" She asked, then bit her lip. "You didn't hear?"

"No…" Matt looked confused. "What…?"

"L is dead, Matt…" Ali whispered. "Mello's leaving…"

Trying not to pity him, Ali left Matt standing in the hallway, stunned into silence.

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Despite his earlier mood, this was turning out to be a really. Crappy. Day. All Mello could think to say was;

"Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn. DAMN!"

He packed his bag and threw it almost violently over his shoulder, still muttering. He closed his eyes and stormed out the door. Which, as we all know from experience, are two not-so-smart things to do at the same time.

Especially when there's already somebody standing in the doorway.

"Shi–" Matt was so pissed of he didn't even finish the curse. "Goddammit, Mello, that's the second time today!"

Mello decided not to question Matt's comment.

"Oh… Id's you, Madd…" He said, cradling his nose with one hand.

"Yeah, it's me…" Matt said, with his own hand to his throat. "The person you decided not to tell you were leaving…"

Mello took a few seconds to figure out what Matt had just said.

"Oh…" he released his nose, looking surprised. "Sorry, Matt… I… Well I kind of forgot. I've got a lot of things on my mind."

Mat scowled.

"What're you gonna do anyway?" He asked. "Join the mafia and start blowing up buildings?"

Mello rolled his eyes.

"Don't be an idiot, Matt…"

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When Ali found Near, he was composed.

"Near!" She yelled down the hall. "I was worried!"

She ran the entire length of the hallway in five strides and almost knocked Near over with a huge hug.

"Erm…" Near wasn't sure what to do about the eight-year-old girl clinging to him.

"I heard about L…" She looked up at him earnestly. "I'm so sorry."

"Mello's leaving." Near informed her.

"I know." She said, and he felt her big puppy-like eyes pricking holes in him.

Near sighed, and Ali let go of him. He braved a look in her eyes.

"And I'm taking over as L."

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Five Years Later

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Matt was bored with life, and bordering on making the decision he'd been thinking about for months now.

After he'd left Wammy's house – only a year after Mello had – he'd drifted in and out of different programming jobs, just earning enough to keep floating. He could earn more, but he honestly couldn't be bothered.

And so he made his choice. It had been five years.

He was going to see Mello.

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Near watched the monitors, listening intently. He curled a strand of white hair around his finger, not letting his face show any emotion.

Is there a spy in the SPK? Hmm… It was time to intervene.

"Commander Rester." He said, holding his hand out for the phone. "I'm going to contact him."

He listened to the ringing in his ear coupled with the ringing on the monitor as he expertly placed two cards on top of his tower with his free hand.

"Hello?" The man's voice was slightly distorted.

"This is Near…"

Near gave his instructions, then hung up. The rest of the conversation with the vice-director of the NPA was brief.

"Commander Rester." Near addressed the man standing at his shoulder. "I trust you, but please do not confirm anything to anyone except the existence of a 'murder notebook'. And please keep all important information in your head only."

"Understood." Rester confirmed.

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Matt was tired out. First the flight from London to New York, then from there to Los Angeles. Now he was driving a rental car towards the address he'd obtained from a 'reliable source'. It was obvious when he was nearing Mello's residence. A huge dump of a place with bits of rubble all around. No wonder it was so far away from other houses.

'Hmmm…' Matt thought… 'the place seems sorta… quiet…"

BROOOAOOOMMM!!!

"NGEH??!" Matt yelled incoherently as he almost stood up while driving. He watched, horrified, as everything surrounding the place was engulfed in flames. He felt the rumbling in the ground, heard the booming and crashing as parts of the building exploded… He heard his own voice screaming and the sound echoed around his head.

He slammed his foot on the brake and the car screeched to a halt in the middle of the street. Nobody was using the road anyway. He struggled with his seatbelt and ran, terrified, to the site of the explosion.

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Ali was bored. A common occurrence these days. Near, Mello and Matt had all left Wammy's house and the only intelligent conversations she had these days were with Roger and occasionally Linda – a girl a little older than her.

She didn't wasn't to interfere with Near's new life as L, but he was really the only friend she'd ever had… Ali hesitated, biting her lip nervously. What if Near had moved on?

She couldn't call… She'd probably only annoy him. What kind of seventeen-year-old wants to hang out with a thirteen-year-old? Her thoughts were interrupted by a large crash.

Ali hurried out into the corridor and started. Two of the kids were fighting. _Fighting!_ At Wammy's house. This was supposed to be an orphanage for incredibly intelligent people! Ali smacked the heel of her hand into her own forhead.

That was it. The turning point. She had to call Near.

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Matt stayed gazing, dumbfounded, at the smouldering wreckage long after the big flames had subsided. He almost jumped out of his skin when he cell phone went off in his jacket pocket.

It rang twice before he got it together and answered it so shakily that his cigarette fell out of his mouth.

"H-h-hello?" his voice shook.

"…Matt…" A scratchy, but unmistakeable voice caused Matt's eyes to widen. "You sound like you just had the fright of your life."

"I did, as it happens." Matt uttered grimly, a million miles away from joking. "Mello, where are you? How bad are you hurt?"

"How'd you…" Mello sounded surprised.

"I-I'm here, Mells…" Matt cleared his throat. "In L.A… Why the HELL'd you just blow yourself up?!"

He heard Mello sigh on the other end of the line.

"That's not really important right n–"

"Oh, CRAP!!" Matt interrupted.

"What?! What happened?!" Mello's voice was panicked.

"Uh…" Matt ran his hand through his scruffy hair, embarrassed. "My rental car just got run over by a truck."

The line crackled, but Matt swore he heard the sound of near hysterical laughter.

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Near was worried, to say the least. This wasn't how he'd wanted things to turn out. He'd just received word of what had happened and was expecting a call from the fake L any moment now.

Aha! There was the phone. Near snatched it up quickly.

"L?" He asked.

"Wha--?" the voice wasn't the distorted one he'd been expecting. "Since when does the world's greatest detective introduce himself as L when he answers the _phone_?!"

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Ali waited as Near explained the situation – the second L, Mello, the Mafia and the 'death note'.

"I know I can trust you, Ali." Near sounded extremely serious despite the odd-sounding voice filter. Somehow she still knew it was him. Only the Near she knew would have made that stupid mistake. Ali smiled.

Maybe he was a little serious, but he was still the same Near.

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One Month Later

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It was obvious that Matt still had trouble looking at Mello's face, which was understandable. Mello himself flinched whenever he saw the horrific burn in the mirror. Even so, Matt looked him in the eyes.

"Now, Mello…" He said. "I think it's time you gave me an explanation…"

Mello sighed. This little explanation was going to seriously wound his ego.

"Well…" he said…

By the time he'd finished explaining about the Mafia and the SPK, the NPA and the building, Matt's mouth was hanging wide open. He swallowed.

"Mello…" He whispered in shock. "When I mentioned joining the Mafia… Maybe you didn't realise... But I. Was. KIDDING!!"

Mello rolled his eyes.

"I admit this _is_ slightly ironic…"

"SLIGHTLY??!" Matt exploded.

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Over several months, the scheme started to unfold, and a chain reaction was set off – indicating the end of the investigation – by a single request.

"L, I wanna meet you."

Near knew that people would die, from one side or the other. But then, wasn't that what this whole thing was about?

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Mello conducted his own investigation this time. Surveillance mainly.

"Matt, how are you doing?"

"Bored out of my mind."

He almost (literally) killed the investigation.

Near had the damned gall to try and use him!

He could have fired, he would have! But now he had to hold a grudge against Lidner for saving his life.

And then…

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January 26th 2010

By now Matt was used to doing these things for Mello. This time didn't feel like it was and different. And _this_ was a practice he was thoroughly used to. Dammit, car chases were supposed to be _fun_!

Crap… Maybe he thought too soon. Matt's eyes widened as he took in the wall of cars up ahead.

He slammed his foot on the brake and felt the wheels slip. The car turned almost 360 degrees before it halted. Matt leaned forward on the steering wheel, letting his cigarette droop.

'So those cars got ahead of me, huh?' he thought. 'how many damn bodyguards does one woman need anyway?' He sighed.

Time to put up another smoke screen… Or… Maybe not… Matt took another few seconds to gaze at the guns trained on the car, before he stepped out, throwing his hands up in a gesture of mock surrender.

"C'mon, gimme a break." He called scornfully. "Since when were the Japanese allowed to carry around such nice guns?"

They didn't take the joke. He guessed he would have to tell them how to do their job.

"You got me. I'm part of this whole kidnapping incident." He flashed them a grin. "Which means you'll have a lot of questions to ask. You won't shoot—"

Matt's sentence was cut short by a hail of impact hitting his chest, his arms and his legs.

He didn't have time to take another breath.

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Mello ran his right hand through his blonde hair as he drove, fretting.

It still hurt to move his other arm too much, and Mello avoided looking in the wing mirror for fear of seeing the hideous scar that marred the left side of his face. It seemed ironic; to escape death so narrowly only to die here by choice.

Mello knew what would happen now, and there was no going back.

'This is the only thing I can do…" he thought. 'If I don't do it…"

Something on the portable T.V. on the dashboard caught his eye.

"And as for the suspect who was gunned down earlier, we still haven't been able to identify him…"

Mello's eyes widened in shock. Suspect? Gunned down? This was…

He glanced once at the man with the copper-red hair slumped against the car. He felt sick. Blood was running from under the left lens of his orange-tinted goggles. Mello shook his head against tears he couldn't allow to leave his eyes.

"Matt…" his words to himself were hollow and choked, "I never thought you'd be killed… I'm sorry."

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Near shook his head disbelievingly. This could hardly be a coincidence. But to go this far…

Near almost broke his composure and shuddered when he thought about what would have happened if Mello hadn't acted. Him and the SPK would all be dead; and the Japanese task force as well.

But worst of all, Kira would reign free with nobody investigating him and no evidence.

It was so like Mello… To sacrifice his own life in order to kill somebody else.

......

It was time…

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One Week Later

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Near woke up in a cold sweat, his dream still vivid before his eyes… A single bloody scrap of paper – so small you'd never think it could kill someone. But it was the letters on the paper that were the most sinister.

The word 'Nate' was in pen, but his last name was a gory red, seared forever onto his memory.

'Nate Rive—'

If the last 'R' had been there, he would be dead. Near tried to clear his head; and the he realised what had woken him up in the first place. He almost (note: _almost_) screamed.

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"ALI??" Near yelled in disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah, no need to shout!" Ali shouted. She was standing by Near's bed, looking weary.

"Ali…" Near sat up. "Why are you in Japan?"

"I had to come see you…" She said… "I thought you might have died…"

Near struggled not to just let his eyes cross and label himself as clinically insane. But whatever. This had to be explained. But he wasn't really looking forward to revliving this - even if it was only through the retelling.

"Let me tell you what happened..." Near closed his eyes.

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"Matt and Mello, huh?" Ali was even more dispirited after hearing the whole story.

"Yeah." Near spoke finally.

"Well…" Ali sighed. "I guess it's over…"

"I guess it is…"

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End file.
